Market Monday: Stock Up and Stock Down for Colts Vs. Rams
The Indianapolis Colts lost a tough battle with the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday by a score of 27-24.
The Colts made a valiant effort to come back, but in the end, could not overcome their own mistakes.
Some players certainly stood out for their contributions in the loss while others would like to burn the game film and never look at it again.
Let’s take a look at the players whose stock went up or down from their performances in Week Two.
Stock Up
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WR Michael Pittman Jr.
When the ball gets in Pittman’s hands, good things happen for the Colts.
Last week, Pittman was only targeted four times and had three catches for 29 yards. The Colts made the second-year wide receiver a priority on Sunday, targeting him 12 times for eight catches and 123 yards.
Pittman made plays all over the field. Whether it was short throws for first downs, deep passes for chunk plays, or hard blocking in the running game, Pittman’s impact was felt.
The Colts game planned to get Pittman more involved, and they were rewarded for it.
TE Jack Doyle
For many seasons when Andrew Luck was quarterbacking the Colts, Doyle was always his security blanket. He might become that for Carson Wentz as well.
Doyle was featured much more in the passing game this week, catching five balls for 64 yards and a two-point conversion. Doyle was consistently picking up first downs and making plays when the Colts needed them.
Many wondered how many years Doyle had left when the season started. He’s showing that he can still be a reliable and productive part of this offense.
LB Darius Leonard
It’s pretty obvious that Leonard is not playing at 100%. The ankle that he had surgery on in the offseason is still giving him some trouble. But he did make plenty of plays on Sunday.
Leonard had seven tackles and a few tough run stops, including a tackle for loss on Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp on a critical third down. The Rams tried to keep the ball away from Leonard with perimeter runs and plenty of play-action, but he still made an impact.
Leonard also did well against the pass with check-downs. According to Pro Football Focus, Leonard only gave up 11 yards on five targets, allowing a passer rating below 50.
The Maniac may not be 100%, but he is still making his presence felt on defense.
Stock Down
OT Julién Davenport
Left tackle Eric Fisher made his return on Sunday and played pretty well. But with Braden Smith out with a foot injury, Davenport stepped in to take his place. As you can expect, it did not go well.
Davenport was abysmal once again for the Colts. He was swallowed up in the running game and gave up six quarterback pressures. The Rams smartly lined up defensive tackle Aaron Donald on Davenport on quite a few occasions, making it painful to watch.
Once again, the Colts’ coaching staff did not offer much help to Davenport in order to combat the Rams’ defensive line. This was surprising considering how much Davenport struggled last week against the Seahawks.
It’s safe to say Smith can’t return soon enough.
RB Nyheim Hines
After receiving plenty of action in Week One with nine rushing attempts and six catches, Hines was an afterthought this week.
Hines only had one rushing attempt and one reception against the Rams and was seen as a nonfactor throughout the game. The lack of rushing attempts could have been a product of the Colts trying to make a comeback. However, his lack of touches is certainly surprising considering the Colts want to make sure he’s a focal part of the offense.
Do not expect this to be a normal occurrence, as Hines is too important for the success of this offense to not receive opportunities.
© Jenna Watson/IndyStar via Imagn Content Services, LLC
CB Kenny Moore II
With Xavier Rhodes missing another game with a calf injury, the Colts’ secondary was already undermanned. It does not help when your best cornerback has a rough game as well.
Moore struggled to stay with Rams’ receivers Kupp and Robert Woods, giving up over 100 yards and allowing 89% of his targets to be completed according to Pro Football Focus. He only allowed one catch for longer than 15 yards, but the Rams made numerous plays to sustain drives when they targeted the Colts’ top corner.
Moore is normally a defender that makes opposing quarterbacks pay when they attempt to test him in coverage. Today was not one of those days, and Moore will be the first one to admit today’s performance was not good enough.
Have thoughts on the players with stock up and stock down on Sunday for the Indianapolis Colts? Drop a line in the comments section below letting us know how you feel!
Follow Andrew on Twitter @AndrewMooreSI.
